“This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a Light dawned” (Matthew 4:14-16).

All of Scripture gives testimony of Christ.  Once you begin to understand this, you begin to gain the wisdom the Lord desires for everyone and know that Scripture interprets Scripture.  It all speaks of Christ, and you and I are called into the life of Christ.  The light is shining in the darkness and as many as see the light are given the power to become children of the Heavenly Father.

Through the water of my baptism, You have brought me to a place where I may know that You, my Lord and Savior, have prepared the way before me to become like You.  In the faith You have given me, Holy Spirit, guide my thoughts, words, and deeds to hear the fullness of Your word and then to act upon what You have given me.  Help me to walk in the light of Your purpose and presence.

Lord Jesus, there are moments when I see.  Like Peter, James, and John, I stand in the light.  But then, there are moments when I doubt and become like those who asked for one more sign.  At all times, help me to remember that You are my Savior.  Lead me today, Lord Jesus, so that I may humbly walk in Your shining light and do all that You ask me to do.  Amen.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:12-13).

Jesus was constantly on the move.  Why?  He knew where He was headed and how things must turn out.  He intentionally went the way He went to bring about the outcome needed in His ministry.  How many times did He say, “It is not yet my time?”  Follow the Lord who is intentional to bring about what the Father intends.  He does not plan for a day, a century, or even a thousand years, but plans for all eternity.

Lord, You are intentional with all that You do.  You are not afraid, nor do You flee, but You do move in mysterious ways to bring about all that needs to happen.  You are good, Lord, and You have poured Your goodness into me.  Help me to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit so that I too will go wherever You would lead me knowing that You will accomplish all that You purpose.

Come Holy Spirit and open my ears to hear so that my feet may go in the light of your word that You shine upon my footsteps (Psalm 119:105).  Help me to follow through with what You command and go where You send me.  In and through all things, lead me, O Lord, so that I may not walk in the fears of this age, but in the boldness of faith even if it means a cross that is before me.  Grant me strength to walk with You always.  Amen. 

“Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him” (Matthew 4:11).

Our Lord knows that battles in this age wear us down.  We do need to be ministered.  We do need the fellowship and the encouragement that comes when fellowship meets together.  And You have promised to be with us at such times. God does tend to us.  Let us not forget to add to our prayers and ask that the Lord provide what we need that which we have not asked for but know that He needs to provide.  The Lord knows what we need and sends His angels to tend to those in need.

Lord, who are the messengers that You send?  Yet, I know the answer, for there are too many times to count when I have been ministered to both unawares and by strangers.  Help me to understand in faith that You do provide for us at all times, in season and out of season, You are with us, providing all that is needed.  Lead me into the good fight to do what is needed and learn what You will teach me.

Lord God, Father of us all, You have sent Your angels to tend to me when I have been beaten down by this world.  Guide me into the refreshing truth of Your purpose and presence in my life.  You alone are worthy of all the praise I can give.  You know what I need, even before I ask.  Thank You Lord for providing all that I need, even those things for which I fail to ask, for You do know all that I need.  Amen.

“Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” (Matthew 4:10).

There is only One who is worthy of all worship and praise.  The Lord has told us we are to have no gods above Him.  This is just a statement of fact.  The devil is proud; the Lord is humble.  The misdirection of the emotions built within us is the problem that both the devil and we have.  Jesus has come to set our priorities straight.  God is the center because He IS.  If you get that right, everything else falls into place.

Lord, I often fall into the trap of trying to reason my way into or out of things.  You are Lord.  That is a fact.  You are the One through whom all things have their being.  Lead me in life such that I simply do what is fitting.  You are worthy of all praise and worship.  Teach me to praise and worship You.  Show me how to tell the devil where to get off when I am not thinking as I ought.  Teach me to think as I should.

Lord Jesus, You were able to see through the sly tricks of the devil.  I fall for them.  But I know these things in my head and heart.  Help me to connect my head with my heart so that I humbly walk with You, my Savior, worshiping Trinity with both.  Grow me so that I may bear fruit befitting the kingdom, living the life of a follower, and rebuking the wicked one when he tempts me otherwise.  Save me, Lord, so that I may worship You alone.  Amen.

“Again, the devil took Him along to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9).

How many times do we bump into preposterous assumptions?  Can the devil give the Lord what God created?  In that moment, the Lord could have re-created all of creation.  Alas, the trick here is that the devil would have us give up what is real for what is an illusion.  Our Savior has already given us everything that we need.  Do not be deceived but be content with the portion the Lord has given you.

This world has been selling the lie that if we have bunches of stuff, we will be happy.  But the rich are not happy.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of true life so that I do not fall for the nonsense of the wicked one.  I have a few years in this age and then I meet You face to face.  Guide me in Your goodness and lead the way into a life that avoids the silly but real temptations of the devil to live the life You give.

Lord Jesus, I cannot overcome the devil, but You already have.  In Your grace and by Your power alone, help me moment by moment so that I will not give into the deceits that would ensnare me.  Lead me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is there all hope and the future which You promise to those who remain faithful.  Guide me in that faith today so that I may learn from You how to be steadfast.  Amen.

“Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7).

The problem with “If” questions, when it comes to the Lord, is that you are asking God to prove Himself.  He created everything and you want Him to prove it.  “Prove there is a God.”  You say that you love some one?  Well, prove it!  If you think this through, you realize that life is experienced, and you can be a witness, but you cannot provide scientific proof.  Be done with the wicked one’s silliness.

Lord, You know how often I fall for the traps set by the clever who are not interested in the truth, but only in putting others down so that they may feel good about themselves.  You have given me faith, and I say I believe.  Help me so that I not fall into the trap of putting You to the test.  Guide me in the upward way so that I honor what You say and do not test You.

Lord Jesus, I am not You and I do fall for these tricks of the devil.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is hope for my salvation.  When all is said and done, what do I know?  I hope in You.  In faith, by the grace You have given me, guide me today through whatever tricks the liars of this age will use to try and deceive me.  Help me to be faithful to You now and forever.  Amen

“Then the devil took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: ‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will lift You up, So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:5-6).

The wicked one knows Scripture too.  But when it comes out of his mouth, it will be twisted.  The question, “If,” is one the wicked one uses to get us to question what the Lord has already spoken.  The final word belongs to the Lord. You are in the Lord, that is His word to you.  He will hold you in His hands.  No matter what happens to you in this age, You are in the Lord’s perfect will.

I often think in terms of the conditional nature of things in this age.  If I be in You Lord, then nothing bad should happen.  But that is not what His word says; that is only what the devil would have me believe.  Lord, You were crucified and that was Your plan all along.  All these things which You have done were so that I, and all who believe, could come to the place where we know that You, Jesus, are our Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to not take the bait of the wicked one.  I do take it sometimes and for that, You have given me grace and mercy.  Help me to be on guard so that only the pureness of Your word may guide me today.  Help me to hear rightly, and then help me to put into practice what You have said.  Thank You for providing me with all that I need for the life of faith which You have given me.  Amen.

“But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

O how we are wrapped up in this physical world.  We long for the things of creation and often give scant thought to One Who created all things.  And this is what is true of those who follow Jesus.  How much worse it is for those who do not think of these things at all.  The devil need not bother with them.  The Lord has spoken, and our life is dependent upon the word He speaks.  We need more than a simple devotion; listen to Him Who is the Word of the Lord.

Word made flesh Who fought the devil on our behalf, open my deaf ears to hear Your word.  Let Your word sink into my heart, pierce it, and resurrect in us Your life in the power of the Holy Spirit.  We are weak and look for the many varieties of bread in this world without looking to You.  Guide us always to listen to Your word and obey all that You have commanded.

Lord Jesus, in weakness, You have prevailed.  While weak, You took on the devil and prevailed.  After death on the cross, you prevailed with the resurrection.  I am weak, and You have given me the ability to prevail, not with power, but in weakness.  Help me to take up my cross and follow You all the days of my life.  Lead me, Lord, weak though I am, knowing that You have already prevailed for me.  Amen.

“And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:2-3).

Jesus did what few can do.  He weakened Himself to be vulnerable.  In His vulnerability, the devil came and tempted Jesus to misuse the power which was His.  Misusing power, if even for a good reason, is a damning drug.  Power corrupts.  This is why Jesus has told us that all power belongs to Him.  The only power which is ours is the power to become a child of the Heavenly Father.

Listen carefully to these words.  You and I are not exempt, but we are tempted to think ourselves the exception.  We have been, often are, and will be tempted.  We will fall.  But the grace of the Lord neither excuses us nor flees from us but is always with us so that we can stand up again and walk the path of faith.  Do not seek power but seek the things of the Lord all the days of your life.

You are within me, Holy Spirit.  Make me aware when I am being tempted so that I may listen to You and not the tempter.  Most often I know what to do, but I am weak and do not do what I ought.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to listen to You.  Shield me so that I may not go beyond the place where I am able to endure.  Lead me to walk in the light of Your word and resist the temptations that come my way.  Amen.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1).

This world is a wilderness, and we are all tempted by the devil.  The wicked one doesn’t care for you but he wants you so long as it is hurtful to the Lord.  But Jesus?  If He can be tripped up, then what God asks of us is more than we can do.  But Jesus is not tripped up and, through the cross, we are given His righteousness.  But take care, for you are still in the wilderness and the devil will tempt you.

Lord, I thank You for the grace which is mine in You.  We all need Your help to overcome the temptations that come our way.  “Lead us not into temptation.”  You know my limits and boundaries and I pray that a shield be placed such that the wicked one have no power over me. “Deliver us from evil,” Lord, You know all that is needed and You must be the One who helps us fights this fight.

Lord Jesus, You went against the devil for my soul.  You went against Him and won.  Your shed blood has set me free from sin, death, and the devil.  Keep reminding me, Holy Spirit, that I am under the wing of Your protection.  Continue to guide me in the way of salvation so that I may humbly walk in the faith You have given me.  You are my leader.  Help me to follow You through the wilderness of this age.  Amen.